Dustwalker Tribe
Claiming a large section of the Northeastern Wastes, the Dustwalker Tribe is the only known significant concentration of Centaurians in Ameros. Historical records show that the Dustwalkers are the descendants of the Centauri who fought alongside the Federation during their struggles to maintain a hold over Telo-Haljr, but eventually abandoned the conflict a century or so before the Wars ended. The official reason given for that desertion, as proclaimed by EFA commanders, was cowardice. The Centauri naturally tell a different tale, stating that they were betrayed one too many times by bigoted elements within the Army which frequently caused them loss of resources, military and civilian personnel, and securable territories. Most people outside the tribe no longer consider the matter to be relevant or important- everyone involved in the affair has been dead for centuries. But the long memories of the Centauri warn the tribe to be cautious, and they are not apt to trust those who are descended from the ones they knew as aggressors. Trust is too valuable a commodity to be given away freely for the Dustwalkers; anyone who wants their trust must come to them and earn it for themselves, and no others. Following Centauri traditions of martial preparedness and watchfulness over the world they inhabit, the Dustwalkers endlessly trundle across their sizeable corner of the Naruvan Wastes in a great caravan consisting of about a hundred solar-powered vehicles of varying sizes; following great herds of beasts and packs of monsters which they hunt for food. It would be foolish however to presume that their nomadic tradition is one borne out of imitation of ancestors or deferrence to long dead traditions. The Dustwalkers aren't nomads out of some sense of tradition and heritage, but because they have deemed it necessary for long-term survival by everyone in the region. The historians of the tribe tell tales of horrific battles which took place in their corner of the Wastes, away from the eyes of the Loyalists and the Rebels. The tales speak of ancient tombs once guarded by the Aboleth and those who came before the aberrations which, as a result of the Armageddon Wars, have been disturbed and those which slumbered within have become restless and violent. But they do not speak more about this unseen threat to outsiders, supposedly believing that the majority of outsiders are too caught up in their own petty struggles or schemes to be capable of truly assisting them in their work. Subsequently, this means that outsiders don't need to know any more than that. Though the Dustwalkers are referred to as a 'tribe', it would be more accurate to say that they are a 'township' which happens to be mobile. They number almost twelve thousand individuals of all civilized races, and- following the lessons of their forebears- have proven willing to induct individuals who wish to become Centauri into their ranks, after proper trials and rituals are adhered to. On rare occasions they have even been known to absorb an entire village's worth of people into their ranks, usually destitute souls from abandoned settlements or refugees victimized by raider attacks. They possess all the necessary equipment to provide themselves with all the trappings familiar to more permanent towns and cities, dedicating the largest of their sand-crawling vehicles to fill such roles as foundries, temples, hospitals, refineries, smitheries, libraries, and so forth. They maintain their equipment and weaponry as efficiently and effectively as any modern army, though they are noticeably lacking in the heavier machinery that would make them a veritable army, possessing only a few small mechs and lightly armored combat vehicles to deal with major threats. But like their Earthen ancestors, what resources and materiel they have, they maximize its use and waste as little as is physically possible, endeavoring to conserve as much as they can while simultaneouly protecting the ecology they call home. The Dustwalkers are currently led by Aldric 'Quiet-Sitting-Bulette' LeBronce, sometimes known as 'The Captain'; a half-orc nearing the end of his life that has guided his people for a little over a century now. The Chief embodies many archetypes of his people, as much by necessity as by choice. He is strong, socially conservative, reserved, speaks only when he has something important to say, as ferocious as the creature he is named for in battle, and always striving to achieve greater wisdom so that he can better lead and protect his tribe- all of whom he considers as his children, in no small part because he is the oldest living member, having survived for almost two and a half centuries. But as he grows older, the Chief is becoming increasingly reliant on his aides and advisors, and more vigorously tests the best of each caste to find a suitable replacement for his inevitable demise. Naruvan Wastes Back to Main Page